velasko



(No Model.)

A. G. VELASKO. UNDERSHIRT.

I No.560,307. PatentedMaylQ. 1896.

m Tues-5E6 2.17 QMWL 1'6? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH G. VELASKO, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO XVILLIAM S. LLOYD, OF SAME PLACE.

UNDERSHIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,307, dated May 19,1896.

Application filed August 1, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH G.VELASKO, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inKnitted Undershirts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to knitted undershirts; and it consists of certainimprovements which are fully set forth in the following specificationand are shown'in the accompanying drawmgs.

My invention relates more particularly to undershirts or vests for womenand children, and is designed to improve the fit of the garment,particularly about the arms, shoulders, and neck, to enable theshoulder-straps or arm portions to be adjusted to suit the size of thearm, and to permit the shoulder'straps to be disconnected or thrown backwhen the shirt is Wornwith full dress.

In carrying out my invention I provide the undershirt with knittedarm-pieces, adapted to fit over the armpits, secured in notches cut inthe top of the shirt, and occupying a more or less upright position,with the ribs running longitudinally. These arm-pieces fit closelyagainst the armpit-s, covering them and acting to absorb moisture, andhave not a tendency to become loose and fall away from the person.

In carrying out another part of my invention I employ shoulder strapsdetachably connected with the body of the shirt, so that they may bedetached and turned back to expose the shoulders when the shirt is wornwith full dress. By making the means for fastening these shoulder-strapsadjustable the straps maybe tightened or loosened to fit the arm. Theseshoulder-straps when employed with the arm-piece in the notches of theshirt are brought closer to the neck, so that they are less liable tobecome loose and slip over the shoulders.

By the employment of independent drawing-strings or tapes for the backand front of the shirt the back or neck may be tightened or loosenedindependently, so that a perfect fit may be obtained.

I shall now refer to the accompanying drawmgs.

Figure 1 is a front View of a portion of a Serial No. 557,812. (Nomodel.)

knitted undershirt or vest embodying my invention. same with both of theshouldenstraps unfastened.

A is the knitted body,which may be of any suitable material andconstruction. At the upper portion of the body A, at the points whichcome adjacent to the armpits of the wearer, the fabric is cut awaytoform notches or scallops B, in which are inserted pieces 0 of a more orless segmental shape. The edges of these pieces 0 are sewed to the edgesof the notches B, so that the pieces 0 approximately fill the notches,as shown in Fig. 1, but with their upper edges preferably incliningdownwardly to a slight extent. The pieces 0 are of knitted material,either of single or double thickness,with the ribs of the fabric runninglongitudinally, so as to form substantial c011- tinuations of thelongitudinal ribs of the body A.

The notches B should extend into the body of the fabric to a substantialextent, so as to bring the pieces G approximately into an uprightposition, though preferably inclining outwardly to a slight extent, asshown. This brings the upper edges of the pieces 0 close up to the arm.

D D are shoulder-straps suitably fastened at one end (detachably or not,as may be de sired) each to the end of one of the pieces 0, or to thebody A adjacent thereto, and hav ing their other ends free and adaptedto be brought over the shoulders of the wearer and attached to the bodyof the shirt or piece 0 by buttons E or by any other suitablefastenings. These fastening devices for securing the ends of the strapsD (whatever their character) may have capacity for adjustment, so thatthe straps may be tightened or loosened to suit the size of the arm ofthe person wearing the shirt. The straps .D may be made of any material,but are preferably composed of non-elastic fabric. In the drawings Ihave shown each of the straps D provided with a series of buttonholes F,adapted to the buttons E on the piece 0.

His a drawing-string or tape passing through the front of the shirt, asthrough the edging I, and terminating in loose ends adjacent to thearm-pieces O. G is a similar drawing- Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofthe string or tape passing through the back of the shirt, out throughthe shoulder-straps D D, and terminating in loose ends. hen the shirt isin use, the loose ends of the strings or tapes H G may be tied together,as shown in the right hand of Fig. 1. These tapes or drawing stringsconstitute a convenient means of tightening the upper portions or edgeof the shirt and the shoulder-straps, so that they will closely fit theneck and shoulders of the wearer, and as the strings II and G areindependent either the back or front may be tightened or loosenedindependently.

The formation of the arm-pieces G of parts introduced into notches orscallops in the top of the shirt, with the ribs of the fabric runninglongitudinally, produces a close fit at the armpits.

It has been proposed to employ knitted sleeve-pieces inserted invertical slits in the top of the shirt and having their ribs runningtransversely; but such a construction has been found objectionablebecause fastening the sleeve-pieces in vertical slits causes them toproject outwardly in substantially a lateral position with the ribsrunning transversely to the ribs of the body of the fabric, so that thetendency of these sleevepieces is to be come loose and fall away fromthe armpits. This construction also brings those portions of thesleeve-pieces which extend over the shoulders too far out, so that thereis a tendency for them to slip over the shoulders.

\Vith my construction the arm-pieces 0 occupy a more orless uprightposition and tend to draw inward close to the armpit. The

straps D D, whether made separate or as continuations of ends of thepieces 0, are brought inward closer to the neck and do not tend to slipover the shoulders. The adjustment of the straps permits them to betightened, so as to overcome any tendency to looseness.

When the shirt is to be worn with full dress, the straps D D may beunfastened and turned back, so as to expose the shoulders, or if thestraps are made detachable at both ends they may be entirely removed.

The minor details of construction shown may be varied without departingfrom my invention.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A knitted undershirt or vest embracing a body provided with cut-outportions 01' seallops under each arm, and having under armpieces ofknitted material secured in said outout portions or scallops andoccupying a more or less upright position with the ribs runningpractically longitudinally with reference to the length of the shirt.

2. A knitted undershirt or vest embracing a body provided with out-outportions or scallops under each arm, and having arm-pieces of knittedmaterial secured in said cut-out portions or scallops and occupying amore or less upright position with the ribs running practicallylongitudinally with reference to the length of the shirt, andshoulder-straps having their ends attached to the shirt at or adj acentto the ends of the attached arm-pieces.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

ADOLIII G. VELASKO.

\Vitnesses:

EnNEsT ll'owniao HUNTER, R. M. KELLY.

